Easy-On Dust Ruffle

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a dust ruffle apparatus having fastening means and a U-shaped member that includes a ruffled panel connected thereto along the outer perimeter edge thereof. The dust ruffle can be applied to the area in between a mattress and a box spring in a “tucking” manner and remains flush therewith in order to provide a decorative appearance to one&#39;s bed assembly, wherein the user is not required to lift and/or remove the mattress for application of the dust ruffle thereto. An elastic band is provided for securement to the mattress, wherein the elastic band has a handle and provides a fastener such as a hook that coincides with an eye, forming the fastening means of the dust ruffle. The elastic band can remain taut along the widthwise side of the mattress for securement thereto. The dust ruffle can be machine washable and dryer compatible for the easy cleaning thereof.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/862,632 filed on Aug. 6, 2013, entitled “Easy-On Dust Ruffle.” The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to dust ruffles for a bed assembly. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a dust ruffle with a fastening means and a U-shaped member, wherein the user need not lift and/or remove a mattress in order to apply the dust ruffle to the area in between a mattress and a box spring.

Conventional methods of applying a dust ruffle require the user to place a fitted sheet onto the top side of an often heavy and bulky mattress and proceed to remove the mattress from the box spring and place it aside in an area adjacent to the bed. The user then places the dust ruffle onto the top side of a box spring and ought to make sure to evenly line up the edges of the dust ruffle with the edge of the box spring. Lastly, the user must move and place the mattress back onto the box spring and newly applied dust ruffle making sure to position it properly and in a way that does not displace the newly applied dust ruffle. This task causes much difficulty to the user and often requires help from an additional person in order to smoothly complete the operation.

Further, when the time comes to wash the dust ruffle, he or she must repeat the process of removing the mattress from the bed as described above in order to remove the dust ruffle and subsequently reply it thereto. This tedious practice causes individuals to forgo the use of a dust ruffle which can result in the accumulation of dust and debris under one's bed and onto one's bed frame in addition to presenting a mundane appearance to one's bed assembly.

More practical classes of dust ruffles employ the use of a fitted bed sheet and dust ruffle assembly, wherein a fastener such as a snap or hook and loop means can be utilized to attach the dust ruffle to the fitted sheet placed over the mattress or box spring. This however, limits the user to the use of only the fitted sheet having the fastening means and does not allow the user to interchange the pattern and color of the fitted sheet if desired.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to dust ruffle and/or bed skirt systems and/or apparatuses. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to dust ruffles that can be applied to the area between a mattress and a box spring. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,531 to Carlos discloses a dust ruffle having a U-shaped strip of decorative fabric that can be superimposed on and attached to a support member via fasteners. The support member provides an elastic band that conforms the support member to the shape of a box spring. The device can utilize a snap assembly, button assembly and hook and loop fastener assembly. The present invention however, includes an elastic band that can be placed in between a box spring and a mattress in order to secure the dust ruffle to a bed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,317 to Kallman describes a set of bed ruffles having a mesh perimeter on the upper area thereof. The user can affix the mesh around three sides of the perimeter of a box spring. The dust ruffles can be attached to the entire length of the mesh via glue and/or sewing. The present invention however, provides an elastic band that can be placed between the mattress and box spring or along the edge of a bed for securement thereto.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,469 to Schrougham allows for a bed skirt having a downwardly extending ruffle and panel sections. The bed skirt provides fastenable corners that can be inserted between the upper mattress and lower mattress without having to remove and/or lift the upper mattress. This device however, does not provide a device that can be easily removed from one's bed.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,676,863 to Henning provides a bed skirt that is adapted to be removably attached to an associated bed sheet, wherein the bed skirt includes two decorative sides. The device provides a plurality of fasteners to removably attach the bed skirt to the edge portion of the bed sheet, wherein one of the two decorative side is outwardly displayed. The present invention however, utilizes one unitary structure without requiring the use of a bed sheet in order to be affixed to a bed.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,082 to Smith discloses a system for decorating the border of a bed having a box spring. The system uses an anchor pin to hold a section of decorative fabric that has a flat section and a ruffled section attached to one another and can be draped over the perimeter of a box spring. However, this can be quite arduous to apply, whereby the present invention enables a user to place the device onto a bed to which it can be affixed thereto without the use of pins or other similar anchors.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The above discussed dust ruffle devices do not provide for an elastic strap with fastening means that enables the user to secure the dust ruffle to the mattress or box spring, wherein the user can further employ the use of a “tuck method” in order to forgo having to lift and/or remove the mattress before applying the dust ruffle. Moreover, the above discussed dust ruffle devices do not provide a U-shaped member that can be detachably or permanently secured to a ruffled panel.

It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing dust ruffle devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of dust ruffle assemblies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new dust ruffle, wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when applying a dust ruffle onto a bed assembly in between a mattress and a box spring without having to lift and/or remove the mattress.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dust ruffle device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dust ruffle apparatus having a substantially U-shaped member.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dust ruffle apparatus having a ruffled panel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dust ruffle apparatus having a ruffled panel that can be detachable in an alternative embodiment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dust ruffle apparatus that includes an elastic strap with fastening means for securement to a mattress and/or box spring.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dust ruffle apparatus that can be applied to the area in between a mattress and a box spring without having to lift and/or remove the mattress.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dust ruffle apparatus that provides a handle.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the dust ruffle apparatus wherein the U-shaped member, ruffled panel and elastic strap having a handle and fastening means are shown.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the dust ruffle apparatus applied to a box spring, wherein the elastic strap having a handle and fastening means are secured around the box spring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the dust ruffle apparatus. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for placing the dust ruffle apparatus in the area between a mattress and a box spring without having to lift and/or remove the mattress. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a front view of the dust ruffle apparatus 1. The dust ruffle apparatus 1 comprises a U-shaped member 2, a ruffled panel 3 and an elastic strap having a handle 5 and strap fasteners 6, 7. The U-shaped member 2 provides a first side, a second side, terminal ends, an inner perimeter edge an outer perimeter edge, wherein the outer perimeter edge is connected to the ruffled panel 3. The ruffled panel 3 includes a first side, a second side, an upper perimeter edge and a bottom edge, a first terminal end and second terminal end. The elastic strap 4 includes a first side, a second side, a first end and a second end, wherein the first end thereof is connected to the first terminal end of the ruffled panel 3. The second end of the elastic strap 4 includes a handle 5 disposed thereon, wherein the handle 5 is permanently affixed thereto.

The fastener of the elastic strap comprises a hook and eye closure in a preferred embodiment, wherein the second end of the elastic strap 4 provides a hook member attached thereto that coincides with an eye member that is provided on the second terminal end of the ruffled panel and is attached thereto. The exact fastener however, is not limited to a hook and eye closure and can be other closure means including, but not limited to hook and loop fasteners, buttons, clips, clasps, and/or a zipper mechanism. The elastic strap 4 supports a fastener and the opposing terminal end of the U-shaped member supports a complimentary fastener for securing the end of the strap 4 thereto.

The user can place the dust ruffle apparatus 1 on the top side of a mattress and proceed to manually grasp the U-shaped member 2 thereof and tuck it between the area located between a mattress and box spring, wherein the dust ruffle apparatus 1 is thus placed underneath a mattress and the first side of the U-shaped member 2 thus contacts the underside thereof. The mattress as described herein as being a standard mattress and/or box spring assembly having a widthwise side, a lengthwise side, a top side, an underside and an outer perimeter edge. The user can begin tucking the U-shaped member 2 at one terminal end and proceed around the outer perimeter thereof until the dust ruffle apparatus 1 is tucked in its entirety beneath the mattress and above the box spring to which it is applied. Once the dust ruffle apparatus 1 is properly applied in the manner described, the outer perimeter edge of the U-shaped member 2 is aligned with the perimeter edge of the mattress and the dust ruffle apparatus 1 lies flush between the mattress and box spring.

The U-shaped member 2 can be permanently connected to the ruffled panel 3 via sewing in a preferred embodiment, however the connection means is not limited as such and can be a detachable connection means in an alternative embodiment and can include buttons and corresponding buttonholes, hook and loop fasteners, a zipper mechanism and/or other suitable detachable connection means. The alternative embodiment enables the user to easily detach the ruffled panel 3 from the U-shaped member 2 as desired in order to interchange the ruffled panel 3 with another ruffled panel 3 of a different color, pattern, and/or design. The detachable connection means can be disposed along the upper perimeter edge of the ruffled panel 3 on the first side or second side thereof and can be attached to corresponding detachable connection means located on the outer perimeter edge of the U-shaped member 2.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the dust ruffle apparatus 1 applied to a box spring, wherein the elastic strap 4 having a handle 5 and fastening means are secured around the box spring. In order to secure the dust ruffle apparatus 1 to a mattress and box spring assembly, the user can manually grasp the handle 5 located on the first side of the elastic strap 4 which is closest to the second end thereof and proceed to pull thereon, extending the elastic strap 4 to the second terminal end of the ruffle panel. The user can then fasten the hook attached to the second end of the elastic strap 4 to the eye that is attached to the second terminal end of the ruffled panel 3 thus securing the dust ruffle apparatus 1 to a mattress and box spring assembly, respectively.

In an alternative embodiment, the user can apply the U-shaped member 2 in the area between the mattress and the box spring via a tucking method as described above, wherein after the U-shaped member 2 is tucked between the mattress and the box spring and can remain in such a location. The user need only attach the upper perimeter edge having detachable fastening means, such as hook and loop fasteners of the ruffled panel 3 to the outer perimeter edge also having hook and loop fasteners of the U-shaped member 2 therefore providing an easy means to remove the ruffled panel 3 for cleaning or interchanging one ruffled panel for another ruffled panel.

The elastic strap 4 of the dust ruffle, once fastened to the ruffled panel 3 via a hook and eye closure, remains taut against the widthwise side of a mattress and/or box spring assembly and secures the dust ruffle apparatus 1 in its entirety to the mattress and/or box spring assembly. The hook that is located on the second end of the elastic band 4 can be attached thereto via sewing, adhesive and/or other suitable means or can be integral therewith. Similarly, the eye that is located on the second terminal end of the ruffled panel 3 can be attached thereto via sewing, adhesives and/or other suitable means or can be integral therewith.

The dust ruffle apparatus 1 can be made from a fabric material that can include but is not limited to, cotton, nylon, silk, polyester, polycotton, flannel, wool and/or other suitable materials. The ruffled panel 3 can be made in various colors, patterns, themes, and designs in order to provide a decorative appearance to one's mattress and/or box spring assembly, home and/or room. The dust ruffle apparatus 1 in its entirety can be machine washable and dryer compatible, wherein the user can remove the dust ruffle apparatus 1 from the mattress and/or box spring assembly and place it into a washing machine with standard cleaning solutions. The user can then place the dust ruffle apparatus 1 into a dryer if desired. The ruffled panel 3 of the dust ruffle apparatus can have a ruffled appearance in a preferred embodiment, however the ruffed panel can be pleated, tapered, box pleated, smooth, accordion pleated and/or any other aesthetically pleasing arrangement.

The U-shaped member 2 of the dust ruffle apparatus 1 as discussed above can be made from fabric materials that can include cotton, nylon, silk, polyester, polycotton, flannel, wool or the like. Further, the U-shaped member 2 can be thin and the same consistency and thickness as the ruffled panel 3 connected thereto or it can be thick and thus somewhat padded having weight to its structure in order to help keep it stable and secure when applied to the area in between a mattress and box spring so that is not easily displaced therefrom. Once applied, the U-shaped member 2 remains hidden beneath the mattress, wherein the bottom edge of the ruffled panel 3 can cover a bed frame and contact the floor in order in order to prevent the accumulation of dust and debris onto one's bed assembly.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) A dust ruffle apparatus, comprising: a U-shaped member, said U-shaped member having a first terminal end, a second terminal end, an inner perimeter edge, and an outer perimeter edge; a ruffed panel, said ruffled panel having a first side, a second side, a first terminal end, a second terminal end, an upper perimeter edge and a bottom edge; said outer perimeter edge of said U-shaped member being connected to said upper perimeter edge of said ruffled panel; an elastic strap having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is secured to said first terminal end of said ruffled panel; said second end of said elastic strap having a fastener thereon adapted to engage with a complimentary fastener on said second terminal end of said U-shaped member. 2) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said fastener comprises a hook and eye closure; said hook being disposed on said second end of said elastic strap; said eye being disposed on said second terminal end of said U-shaped member. 3) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fastener comprises a hook and loop fastener. 4) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said U-shaped member and said upper perimeter edge of said ruffled panel are removably connected via detachable connection. 5) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 4, wherein said detachable connection comprises a hook and loop fastener. 6) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 4, wherein said detachable connection comprises a buttoned connection. 7) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 1, wherein said U-shaped member is permanently sewn to said ruffled panel. 8) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 1, wherein said ruffled panel extends along said outer perimeter edge of said U-shaped member and extends from said first terminal end to said second terminal end of said U-shaped member. 9) The dust ruffle apparatus of claim 1, wherein said ruffled panel is composed of fabric. 